Los Angeles daily herald., 1887-09-11
dead tn the W0rld.

Thirteen years before, when the
snow was whitening the ground, a
farmer had driven an unconscious
woman to the almshouse, wearing a
wrapper over a night-dress, and bare
feet thrust in dainty French slippers.
He said he had picked her up on the
road, and having committed her to
the care of the matron drove away.
For thirteen years Crazy Strange
had been an inmate Of the place, most
of the time in a wild and delirious
condition.
One day the nurse was startled to
see the steady light of reason in her
patients eyes.
"How came l here?" asked she,
finally.
"You've been sick"
''How long?'
"For two weeks"
"And this"-
''This," said the nurse, "is the Ben
ton Almshouse."
The poor creature moaned.
In an almshouse two weeks ?" she
asked wearily.
"Two weeks. Why, you've been
mere tillTCeen years.
Crazy Strange screamed at the
nurses words 80 loud that the doctor,
who was going by came to her side.
'Doctor do you remember the burn
ing of the steamer Reindecrw
every well," he responded.
81 must have been saved from that.
was ON board with my husband, who
was i'll of consumption. 1 remember
siezing some clothing and escaping
from the boat, that is all. My daugh-
ter and my husband what can have be-
come of them ?" covering her face with
her hams. Then she started up sud-
denly. doctor, shall 1 be able to
travel soon?"
eyes, if you want to; but why?" he
asked.
81 am going back home. am going
back unannounced to see first if l have
been missed! !" with determination.
The doctor bowed and said nothing.
Y
Through the dusty highway of
country town, five weeks later, Crazy
Strange was toiling. She stood once
more in front of her elegant country
home with its garden in bloom. Then
she passed on to the cemetery beyond
and paused by a tall marble shaft to
rest for moment in its shade for her
strength was nigh spent.
Dizzy, trembling, she looked up as
footsteps came near, and saw slender,
beautiful girl leading feeble old man
forward.
He was gray too, and weak, and
when he sat upon the iron bench near
the tall shaft he trembled with ex-
haustion.
81 shall not come many more times,
Cora" he said gently. "My eyes are
dim and my strength fails me every
day. But tonight will tell YOU the
story of your mothers death. We
have not told you before that she does
not lie here"
sNot lie here ?"
mo, child! Your mother sleeps far
off from here under the waters. She
was lost in the Reindeer. For weeks
after the fearful night when the
steamer was burned l lay at deaths
door, but death was not merciful. He
took my darling and left the wreck of
a man, crippled feeble, suffering, but
living"
ooh, father, do not speak as if you
regretted your life. Think what it
has been to me-fricnd, companion,
teacher, father and mother in one."
Cora. dear, that was my only COM
fort. But for you would have prayed
to die. Little one, you may live to
know-heaven grant that you do
such love as your mother felt for me,
to gain such love as mine for her. We
We're utterly happy together. We
idolized each other, and so our Heav-
enly Father parted us, to take her to
His own bliss, and raise my heart to
him."
The ragged wayfarer behind the
great marble shaft rose rapidly.
81 have been pauper thirteen
years. l will not shame them," she
said softly.
But, as she moved slowly away, she
felt her limbs fail, her brain reel, and
sank senseless upon the ground.
The involuntary cry she gave reached
the ears OF the mourner.
"See, Cora! 1t is woman-a beg
gar! Poor creature! Have you the
wine you brought for me?"
The girl went qnickly upon her er-
rand of mercy.
She had been taught to follow all
the womanly impulses of generosity
and pity in her gentle heart, and she
softly touched the unconscious figure,
putting off the shabby bonnet and
loosening the ragged shawl.
"Robert! Robert ~
One great gasping cry escaped him
and for moment his heart-throbS
threatened to sufocate him.
White as death, he said, with trem-
bling lips:
Margaret Can it be Margaret" ?"
81 tried to creep away. But shall
not shame you in my grave"
"Shame me! You? Margaret! My
wife Why have you let me mourn
you as dead"
"I have been crazy, they tell me ;
a crazy pauper in an almshouse thir-
teen years."
"Oh mother! mother!'
In choking sobs Cora spoke the
sacred name she had been taught to
hold in deepest reverence, and she
KnolU DeSluc tlic lhSSOu OCS5ei, oioW
ering kisses upon the white face, while
scalding tears fell from her eyes. 1t
was the father who first recovered
composure. The sun was down and
the twilight would soon be gone.
Cora" the father said, "go to the
house, dear, and send servants with a
litter. Quick, dear. We must take
your mother home.'
The girl sprang to her feet at once.
Only the wide road and the garden
were to be crossed after she was a few
hundred yards from the gate of the
cemetery.
Beside the tall shaft where her
mothers name had told the world of
her death for thirteen years, Cora
could see the two figures as she had
left Il .em, her mother living still upon